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The sleeve of Rodney’s leather jacket citing the world championship he captured with Bob McPhearson this summer.

BACK IN THE RODEO ARENA

About five years ago, Rod started easing back into the rodeo arena, competing alongside his parents in local team penning and sorting events. Not many years earlier, his physicians didn’t know if he would ever speak, eat or walk again – let alone ride a horse.

Barbara said, “Spending time with horses is good for both mind and body.” Rod agreed. “I didn’t just ride for the enjoyment of riding. I also rode because a horse walking mimics a human walking pattern. It helped me re-learn how to walk. Over time, I’m so thankful I rode as much as I did. It helped me in areas I didn’t even realize at the time.” After two years at local rodeo events, he moved up to events sponsored by the South Dakota Rodeo Association. He continued to re-build his skills for another three years. In 2021, he took it to another level.

This past summer, Rod and his sorting partner, Bob McPhearson, competed against 170 other teams in the Western Heritage Beginning Ranch Hand Class at the World Finals of the Ranch Sorting National Championships (RSNC) in Fort Worth, Texas. Teams from Australia, Brazil, Argentina and the United States competed. Not only did Rod and Bob have success in the qualifying rounds, but they made it through to the finals. In the finals, they sorted a total of 19 cattle in 147.93 seconds. That was good enough for Rod and Bob to go home with belt buckles that said “World Champions.” Daryl said there isn’t normally a saddle awarded in this particular class. But Todd Jey, one of the country’s foremost saddle makers, was led to build a saddle for Rod, the design of which will include Bible verses.

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